Club Sandberg (part 2)

[_Obra_]

It's a passive base model, not the super light version and not a relic.

The sound is rather good. It does sound like a Jazz Bass. I could definitely live with it. And I agree that the strings are probably too zingy right now. Just overall it doesn't strike me as as premium as it seems to be.

You said You paid it 1200 euro. What Fender You can buy for that money? Probably MIM or something similar - not premium at all IMHO. You bought one of the cheapest models (made in Germany), and the cheapest finishes, although I must say that I am surprised by the appearance of the neck from the back side (that is probably what impact the price). Don't judge an entire brand based on one piece.
On the other hand, I made a custom order with a Hardcore reserved finish TM4 and my first impression was also quite bad. I was expecting a Musicman sound + Fender sound and even to be better then two of them (silly me). It's been about 5 years now, and I'm grateful to myself for not selling it in the early days of dissatisfaction. It has been my favorite bass for a long time now, and the one I would sell last. Also, my GAS has been reduced by 90% because I can't believe that I could find anything better.
Since then I have played many different pieces by Sandberg both in my studio (you can see them on my YT channel) and in various music stores. I can say that the premium look and feel is mostly provided by the more expensive pieces.

Give it a chance...and don't expect it to be a Fender even if it looks alike.

 

[TheMartianBassist]

Friends… it is time…
Perfect timing with the new Epifani rig as well! Both arrived for pickup on the same day.
18 month wait on the Sandberg!

 

[Drzejzi]

You said You paid it 1200 euro. What Fender You can buy for that money? Probably MIM or something similar - not premium at all IMHO. You bought one of the cheapest models (made in Germany), and the cheapest finishes, although I must say that I am surprised by the appearance of the neck from the back side (that is probably what impact the price). Don't judge an entire brand based on one piece.

It was not described as a B-stock. There was a discount on a couple of models and I chose the one that looked best to me. I'm not a fan of relics, I'm fine with high gloss and I don't think that it should be treated as "the cheapest model and the cheapest finish". Shouldn't I expect the legendary Sandberg's quality because I chose the finish that I like, that happens to cost less than relics?

This was supposed to be the more expensive than my other 6 basses and while it is ok, I expected more. My "not premium at all" Fender still sounds better, all of them have better neck woods and body finishes are perfect.

I'm definitely open to try out other Sandbergs in the future, but won't buy sight unseen.

 

[warptheory]

I bought a Sandberg Superlight TT but did not care for the voicing of the pickups. Swapped them out for a set of Kloppman 63's and turned the bass full passive. Now I love the tone.

The build quality is up there with anything. It's super solid and I appreciate the Zero Fret which helps open notes sound more true. It's right up there with my custom Fender, Mike Lull, Lakland, and Sadowsky. I definitely would say its better than my MIM Fender, and on par with my custom shop Fender.

 

[TheMartianBassist]

Here she is, along with my gigging set up.
New California TT5 Masterpiece.

Not to be confused with the BTW model, which are passive, 4 string only and have the
Kloppmann JB61 pickups.

This order was customized with a one piece ash body, Kloppmann JB71’s and according to Marc Najaar - this was one of the very last orders Sandberg accepted with requested neck bindings (which apparently they don’t like doing at their shop). So kind of a cool touch there.
This is the sibling bass to the 61’s alder/rosewood Kloppberg I have.

I’ll make a comparison video between the two soon!

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Here she is, along with my gigging set up.
New California TT5 Masterpiece.

Not to be confused with the BTW model, which are passive, 4 string only and have the
Kloppmann JB61 pickups.

This order was customized with a one piece ash body, Kloppmann JB71’s and according to Marc Najaar - this was one of the very last orders Sandberg accepted with requested neck bindings (which apparently they don’t like doing at their shop). So kind of a cool touch there.
This is the sibling bass to the 61’s alder/rosewood Kloppberg I have.

I’ll make a comparison video between the two soon!

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Beautiful collection. Yes please do a video soon showcasing all 3 of these .
Congrats!!

 

[Precision69]

Here she is, along with my gigging set up.
New California TT5 Masterpiece.

Not to be confused with the BTW model, which are passive, 4 string only and have the
Kloppmann JB61 pickups.

This order was customized with a one piece ash body, Kloppmann JB71’s and according to Marc Najaar - this was one of the very last orders Sandberg accepted with requested neck bindings (which apparently they don’t like doing at their shop). So kind of a cool touch there.
This is the sibling bass to the 61’s alder/rosewood Kloppberg I have.

I’ll make a comparison video between the two soon!

View attachment 7216857

View attachment 7216864
View attachment 7216865

Gorgeous collection of basses, I'm very jealous!

 

[TheMartianBassist]

Gorgeous collection of basses, I'm very jealous!

Thank you very much!

 

[GroovyBaby]

It just arrived.

Maybe I was expecting too much, but I don't feel it. The neck is ok, however the grain doesn't look particularly good. The finish has some imperfections under the clear coating. Sound is ok, brighter than Fender, maybe because of fresh strings in lower gauge.

It's very light - for a moment I was afraid that the cardboard was empty!*

I don't know. It's ok I guess, but I was expecting more. I could bond with it over time if I wouldn't have other basses, but I don't feel that it's a special one for me.

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*Edit: I weighted all my basses for a comparison:
- J&D fretless: 3,2 kg
- Sandberg: 3,55 kg
- Ibanez SR 1205: 3,8 kg
- Ibanez ATK 310: 4,2 kg
- Fender Jazz with high mass bridge, D-tuner and additional string retainer: 4,25 kg
- Warwick Thumb 4: 4,45 kg
- Jazz Bass 6 string: 5,35 kg

Personal preferences matter. I didn't like the stock pickups much, nor the stainless strings they come with. After swapping pickups (Aguilar HC) and strings (TI Jazz Rounds), I love the way my TT plays and sounds. And the weight for me is critical. You may need to set it up to your playing preference too. I find the ergonomics superior to the Fenders by a long shot, but again that is personal preference.

 

[TheMartianBassist]

Personal preferences matter. I didn't like the stock pickups much, nor the stainless strings they come with. After swapping pickups (Aguilar HC) and strings (TI Jazz Rounds), I love the way my TT plays and sounds. And the weight for me is critical. You may need to set it up to your playing preference too. I find the ergonomics superior to the Fenders by a long shot, but again that is personal preference.

I agree entirely with what you’re saying.
This is my personal scoop on the whole Sandberg vs Fender issue.
I’m making a lot of assumptions here and personally I only have experience with the California models.

But I think many people are getting Sandbergs with the impression it’s gonna be a “nicer” or “better sounding” Fender Jazz bass.

This is not correct at all in my opinion.
Many of the Sandbergs come equipped with the Delano JMVC FE/M2, which are the big poled, massive and very modern sounding J style pickups. Those do not sound like a Fender jazz bass.

Furthermore, even if you get the Sandberg pickups instead of Delanos, the body shape is not all that similar to a jazz bass. And most importantly, Sandberg build their basses with a significantly flatter fingerboard radius (14”) than almost all Fender basses. So that alone will make the neck feel a lot different than many people are used to.
Their active basses also have a 2 band eq preamp whereas most active Fenders will have mid controls as well.

Sandbergs are not Fenders, nor are they boutique, hand made instruments - they’re built in high volume and CNC machines - but they do still retain plenty of hands on assembly and inspection.
Additionally, I can’t speak for the 35” scale models, but all my 34” bergs all have… average B strings. Not terrible, but not the best. I will always try and be as objective as I can be about these basses, regardless of my ownership.
Also their intonation system is by far the worst thing I’ve ever had to deal with

Where I agree with you the most is with the overall FEEL and ergonomics of the basses. They are far superior to Fender in my opinion, and also their quality control is way better.
And that’s ultimately why I’m such a big fan.
With a proper set up, low action and a good set of pickups, these basses are AWESOME.
The masterpiece basses I own are up there with the most comfortable and playable basses I’ve owned.

 

[GroovyBaby]

I agree entirely with what you’re saying.
This is my personal scoop on the whole Sandberg vs Fender issue.
I’m making a lot of assumptions here and personally I only have experience with the California models.

But I think many people are getting Sandbergs with the impression it’s gonna be a “nicer” or “better sounding” Fender Jazz bass.

This is not correct at all in my opinion.
Many of the Sandbergs come equipped with the Delano JMVC FE/M2, which are the big poled, massive and very modern sounding J style pickups. Those do not sound like a Fender jazz bass.

Furthermore, even if you get the Sandberg pickups instead of Delanos, the body shape is not all that similar to a jazz bass. And most importantly, Sandberg build their basses with a significantly flatter fingerboard radius (14”) than almost all Fender basses. So that alone will make the neck feel a lot different than many people are used to.
Their active basses also have a 2 band eq preamp whereas most active Fenders will have mid controls as well.

Sandbergs are not Fenders, nor are they boutique, hand made instruments - they’re built in high volume and CNC machines - but they do still retain plenty of hands on assembly and inspection.
Additionally, I can’t speak for the 35” scale models, but all my 34” bergs all have… average B strings. Not terrible, but not the best. I will always try and be as objective as I can be about these basses, regardless of my ownership.
Also their intonation system is by far the worst thing I’ve ever had to deal with

Where I agree with you the most is with the overall FEEL and ergonomics of the basses. They are far superior to Fender in my opinion, and also their quality control is way better.
And that’s ultimately why I’m such a big fan.
With a proper set up, low action and a good set of pickups, these basses are AWESOME.
The masterpiece basses I own are up there with the most comfortable and playable basses I’ve owned.

Yea, Fender quality control is all over the place. I have three Sandbergs, the v4, tt4 , and tm5. TM5 has the Delano big poles and is definitely more modern sounding. I swapped the pickups in the other two to get a more vintage tone and they nail that now…but with better ergonomics and less weight.
I’ve never played the masterfully. What feels different about it? Would a pro setup get me most of the way there?

 

[TheMartianBassist]

Yea, Fender quality control is all over the place. I have three Sandbergs, the v4, tt4 , and tm5. TM5 has the Delano big poles and is definitely more modern sounding. I swapped the pickups in the other two to get a more vintage tone and they nail that now…but with better ergonomics and less weight.
I’ve never played the masterfully. What feels different about it? Would a pro setup get me most of the way there?

Masterpiece means that the bass got the relic treatment, which is done by one guy at their shop and takes several days.
In their words - “we use special fluids and paints to affect the look and structure of the wood before the varnish is sprayed on.”

But most importantly, Masterpiece basses receive both the Thermo and Vibration treatment.
Thermo is Sandberg’s fancy way of saying “roasted necks” (they can also roast the body if requested) - which they do in a special laboratory grade oven. They collaborated with Dresden Univetsity to figure out the exact times, temperature and cooldown durations for optimal results.
They also claim to have their roasted necks re-acclimate for 16 weeks. Very German lol

Vibration treatment is their clamp machine that will shake and rattle the bass for 100 hours and has also been researched by reputable companies claiming that it affects the structure and tone of the wood to match that of instruments that have been played for decades.

To be honest I personally thought all of this was marketing baloney at first, until you actually get your hands on and spend time with these masterpiece basses. They have a feel and vibe that truly feels special.
The neck specifically in my opinion is the highlight on masterpiece basses. Total smoke show and remarkably comfortable.

 

[_Obra_]

Masterpiece means that the bass got the relic treatment, which is done by one guy at their shop and takes several days.
In their words - “we use special fluids and paints to affect the look and structure of the wood before the varnish is sprayed on.”

But most importantly, Masterpiece basses receive both the Thermo and Vibration treatment.
Thermo is Sandberg’s fancy way of saying “roasted necks” (they can also roast the body if requested) - which they do in a special laboratory grade oven. They collaborated with Dresden Univetsity to figure out the exact times, temperature and cooldown durations for optimal results.
They also claim to have their roasted necks re-acclimate for 16 weeks. Very German lol

Vibration treatment is their clamp machine that will shake and rattle the bass for 100 hours and has also been researched by reputable companies claiming that it affects the structure and tone of the wood to match that of instruments that have been played for decades.

To be honest I personally thought all of this was marketing baloney at first, until you actually get your hands on and spend time with these masterpiece basses. They have a feel and vibe that truly feels special.
The neck specifically in my opinion is the highlight on masterpiece basses. Total smoke show and remarkably comfortable.

Couldn't agree more with everything you said. I would just add that there is a big difference for me even without the vibro treatment. My TM4 Hardcore Reserved has a roasted treatment for neck and the body, with the relic, and has a completely different sound and feel than standard ones.
At the beginning, when ordering I was very skeptical and I did not want to pay an extra amount for vibro treatment. Now that I know how much the roasting treatment and relicing contribute to the sound, feel, and appearance (IMHO), I'm sure I made a mistake not getting the Masterpiece with the extra vibro treatment and extra relicing.

 

[GroovyBaby]

Masterpiece means that the bass got the relic treatment, which is done by one guy at their shop and takes several days.
In their words - “we use special fluids and paints to affect the look and structure of the wood before the varnish is sprayed on.”

But most importantly, Masterpiece basses receive both the Thermo and Vibration treatment.
Thermo is Sandberg’s fancy way of saying “roasted necks” (they can also roast the body if requested) - which they do in a special laboratory grade oven. They collaborated with Dresden Univetsity to figure out the exact times, temperature and cooldown durations for optimal results.
They also claim to have their roasted necks re-acclimate for 16 weeks. Very German lol

Vibration treatment is their clamp machine that will shake and rattle the bass for 100 hours and has also been researched by reputable companies claiming that it affects the structure and tone of the wood to match that of instruments that have been played for decades.

To be honest I personally thought all of this was marketing baloney at first, until you actually get your hands on and spend time with these masterpiece basses. They have a feel and vibe that truly feels special.
The neck specifically in my opinion is the highlight on masterpiece basses. Total smoke show and remarkably comfortable.

My VS4 has a roasted neck, and I definitely dig it. My other two Sandbergs do not but they still play dreamy. I’m sure the worn in feel is nice. Gotta try one sometime.

 

[Naigewron]

Additionally, I can’t speak for the 35” scale models, but all my 34” bergs all have… average B strings. Not terrible, but not the best.

My 34" Sandberg VM5 was what finally moved me to 35" basses, and I've not looked back since. Such a stunning bass with such a sub-par B string was a massive disappointment.

I'm currently looking for a 35" TM5, but I will admit that I'm nervous about that B string even with the extra inch of scale.

I'm hoping a 35" TM5 can replace my Lakland 55-02, because I'm having some personal struggles with the neck on that one, plus I really want a usable passive mode and tone control. However, the B string is a huge factor for me, and the B on the Lakland is absolutely stellar, so I'm only cautiously optimistic.

 

[Precision69]

Couldn't agree more with everything you said. I would just add that there is a big difference for me even without the vibro treatment. My TM4 Hardcore Reserved has a roasted treatment for neck and the body, with the relic, and has a completely different sound and feel than standard ones.
At the beginning, when ordering I was very skeptical and I did not want to pay an extra amount for vibro treatment. Now that I know how much the roasting treatment and relicing contribute to the sound, feel, and appearance (IMHO), I'm sure I made a mistake not getting the Masterpiece with the extra vibro treatment and extra relicing.

This sounds like my experience too. I've also got a Hard-core Aged Reserve TM4, and it just feels really comfortable. I tried a Bass The World TT4 a week or two ago at the Bass Gallery in London. It sounded great with the Kloppman pickups, but it somehow felt too new and I really didn't get on with it.
I'm really loving my TM4, it's so easy to play and it sounds so clear. It's strung with Chromes, which tame the high end nicely and give a bit of thump. Played a gig last Saturday and it sounded great!

 

[Precision69]

This sounds like my experience too. I've also got a Hard-core Aged Reserve TM4, and it just feels really comfortable. I tried a Bass The World TT4 a week or two ago at the Bass Gallery in London. It sounded great with the Kloppman pickups, but it somehow felt too new and I really didn't get on with it.
I'm really loving my TM4, it's so easy to play and it sounds so clear. It's strung with Chromes, which tame the high end nicely and give a bit of thump. Played a gig last Saturday and it sounded great!

For clarity, it was the black, un-aged Bass the World TT4 that I tried.

 

[_Obra_]

This sounds like my experience too. I've also got a Hard-core Aged Reserve TM4, and it just feels really comfortable. I tried a Bass The World TT4 a week or two ago at the Bass Gallery in London. It sounded great with the Kloppman pickups, but it somehow felt too new and I really didn't get on with it.
I'm really loving my TM4, it's so easy to play and it sounds so clear. It's strung with Chromes, which tame the high end nicely and give a bit of thump. Played a gig last Saturday and it sounded great!

Which Chromes You use?

 

[Precision69]

Which Chromes You use?

I use the ECB81 set, which is 100 to 45. They seem to work well for me.

 

[midichlorine]